Vandal Vibe Newsletter

Happy 2021, dear Vandals!

I hope this finds you and yours healthy and not too distressed by the events of the past week or so. Despite what is happening at the national level, I remain optimistic about the coming year. I am knocking on wood, crossing my fingers and throwing salt over my shoulder when I say 2021 will evolve into something better than last year. Let’s hope all of that works!

Superstitions aside, my optimism about our alma mater is deeply rooted in fact. There are so many amazing things happening in the classroom, in the lab, in the field and around the state, it’s easy to be proud and confident about our future. When you understand the magnitude of what the University of Idaho accomplished by providing in-person instruction last fall safely and successfully, it’s easy to trust our positive impact on students, alumni, the state and nation will continue.

But you don’t have to take my word for it. Outside sources see and are recognizing the best parts of the institution we all love. And, our friends in University Communications and Marketing have gathered all of those wonderful proof points in a single spot.

Check out the new U of I Rankings, Statistics and Facts web site. The information is organized in a variety of categories, including academic excellence and value, and I can guarantee you will learn a lot.

It’s nice to be able to throw in a statistic or honor or ranking when we’re bragging about U of I, and now we have an easy, one-stop shop to get them. 2021 is looking brighter already.

Go Vandals!

Kathy Barnard, '81
Executive Director
University of Idaho Alumni Association

Upcoming Alumni Events

Jan. 28 – Thirsty Thursday Trivia with the VandalStore, virtual
Feb. 6-8 – Grand Targhee Vandal Ski Day, Idaho Falls, Idaho
Feb. 13 – Brundage Vandal Ski Day, McCall, Idaho
Feb. 14 – Tamarack Vandal Ski Day, Tamarack, Idaho
Feb. 18 – Vandal Trivia Night, virtual
Feb. 27 – Lookout Pass Vandal Ski Day, Mullen, Idaho

For information about events, visit the alumni calendar. Check the Vandal Scholarship Fund website for the latest info about VSF events.

University Alum Joins California Academy of Sciences as Assistant Curator

Sarah Jacobs was fulfilling a dream to become a physician when a daffodil redirected her career path.

More interested in the human circulatory system than a plant’s xylem and phloem, Jacobs put off enrolling in undergraduate botany until her senior year in general science.

“I didn’t think I was going to be that interested,” said Jacobs, who earned a doctorate in biology at the University of Idaho. As part of the required botany course she dissected a daffodil and examined it under magnification.

“I had dissected a lot of other really gross things,” Jacobs said.

The dissected daffodil, however, stunned her.

Read More >>

Vandal Innovation Headed to the Space Station

A University of Idaho College of Engineering team is one of five groups selected nationwide for NASA’s Student Payload Opportunity With Citizen Science program to build an experiment that will fly to and return from the International Space Station. The team will spend spring semester researching how microgravity impacts the efficacy of polymers known to resist bacteria on Earth. Members include chemical engineering seniors Adriana Bryant, Niko Hansen, Hannah Johnson, Travis Lindsay, Roslyn McCormack and Kael Stelck.

Synthesizing two types of polymers, the team will test the ability of these molecules to resist bacteria on an aluminum alloy that is utilized for many high-contact areas throughout the International Space Station, such as hand rails and door handles.

As part of the NASA-funded project, teams are expected to involve K-12 students in their research. The U of I team also plans this spring to equip 240 Russell Elementary School third- through fifth-graders with experiment kits that include these bacteria-resistant polymers, to help test and validate their abilities.

Read More >>

Alumni Programs Highlight

Homecoming: Save the Date
Mark your calendars with a big star on October 3-9, 2021 for Vandal Homecoming Week. More details coming soon.

Vandal Business Directory
Whose business can you support in this new year? Check the over 150 listings of Vandal-owned businesses.
Learn More >>

Vandal Voyagers Travel Options
Vandals everywhere are thinking about where they will travel next. Browse our many options for national and international ventures.
Learn More >>

Conversations with Vandals Now Online
Catch our popular virtual series "Cup of Joe" recordings online and learn from some of our favorite Vandals.
Start Watching >>

Alumni News

College of Law alumnus and Idaho native Brady Hall ’03, has been appointed to serve as General Counsel for the Office of the Governor.
Read More >>

College of Science and Idaho Women's Basketball standout Mikayla Ferenz '19 has been named as an assistant coach for the Whitman College women's basketball program.
Read More >>

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